Mouseproofing device



July 18, 1967 w. PERKINS 3,331,270

MOUSEPROOFING DEVICE Filed Aug. 25, 1966 H INVENTOR STUART W. PERKINS WZAM L United States Patent 3,331,270 MOUSEPROOFIN G DEVICE Stuart W. Perkins, 304 E. Elmwood Ave., Falconer, N.Y. 14733 Filed Aug. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 575,071 6 Claims. (Cl. 84-233) This invention relates to mouseproofing devices and, more particularly, to mouseproofing devices for mouseproofing pianos and the like.

Pianos used particularly in institutions and the like are subject to damage by mice who find their way into the pianos through the openings around the pedals. It has been discovered that by providing a simple unique device such as disclosed herein, the mice can be prevented from entering the piano and, therefore, serious damage can be eliminated.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved mouseproofing device for pianos.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mouseproofing device which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efiicient to use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mouseproofing device which can be applied to a piano without the aid of professional mechanics.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a mouseproofing device on a piano according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the mouseproofing device; and

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 1.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, the piano indicated is provided with pedals 33, 34, and 35 which extend through slots 36, 37, and 38 in the front of the piano and through which mice can normally enter.

The mouseproofing device 11 is made of a plate like body portion or frame 12 which has spaced cleats 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 attached to its front which may be made integral with it. These cleats are provided with a main body portion indicated at 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 which have the overhanging cleat portions 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30, respectively. These overhanging cleat portions provide a place for the closure members 46, 47, and 48 to slide up and down. Each closure member has a resilient member which may be an ordinary rubber band 39, 44 or 41 attached to its upper end and this rubber band may be extended around the pedal 33, 34, and 3-5, respectively, so that the closure member will always be held up but will slide down as the pedal is moved down,

the sliding taking place between the overlying cleat members 2541 The closure members will thus prevent mice from entering the piano.

The frame or plate like member 12 may have pressure sensitive adhesive material on its back to hold it to the front of the piano.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

I The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A mouseproofing device for a piano comprising a generally flat, plate like body portion, spaced openings formed in said body portion, said openings being adapted to receive the pedals of a piano, a plurality of closure members, a plurality of cleats, one said cleat being disposed at each side of each said opening,

each said cleat having an overhanging portion adapted to overlie an edge of said closure member sildably receiving said closure member between said overhanging portions of said cleats and said body portion,

and means attaching each said closure member to a said pedal.

2. The mouseproofing device recited in claim 1 wherein said body portion is attached to the front of a piano and the pedals of said piano extend outwardly through said openings.

3. The mouseproofing device recited in claim 2 wheresaid means attaching each member to prise resilient means. 4. The device recited in claim 1 wherein said cleats and said body portion are integral with each other.

5. The device recited in claim 1 wherein said body portion has a pressure sensitive adhesive on the side thereof opposite said cleats whereby said body portion may be attached to a piano, 6. The device recited in claim 3 wherein said resilient means comprises a resilient band.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 767,247 8/ 1904 Ross 84-233 1,149,423 8/1915 Bell 84-233 1,267,047 5/1918 Bell 84233 1,706,434 3/1929 Berry 84-233 RICHARD B. WIILKINSON, Primary Examiner. C. M. OVERBEY, Assistant Examiner.

said pedal com- 

1. A MOUSEPROOFING DEVICE FOR A PIANO COMPRISING A GENERALLY FLAT, PLATE LIKE BODY PORTION, SPACED OPENINGS FORMED IN SAID BODY PORTION, SAID OPENING BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE PEDALS OF A PIANO, A PLURALITY OF CLOSURE MEMBERS, A PLURALITY OF CLEATS, ONE SAID CLEAT BEING DISPOSED AT EACH SIDE OF EACH SAID OPENING, EACH SAID CLEAT HAVING AN OVERHANGING PORTION ADAPTED TO OVERLIE AN EDGE OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID CLOSURE MEMBER BETWEEN SAID OVERHANGING PORTIONS OF SAID CLEATS AND SAID BODY PORTION, AND MEANS ATTACHING EACH SAID CLOSURE MEMBER TO A SAID PEDAL. 